Futures
by Bunny-chan1
Summary: Sailormoon Gravitation crossover. Someone has lost a pink bunny... Who will find it? RSUT


Author: Bunny-chan

Email: whatev.

Futures

Gravitation/ Sailormoon one-shot

June 26, 2005

Standard disclaimers and warnings:

I don't own Sailor Moon or Gravitation. Thanks.

Alternate universe for Sailormoon. Usagi Tsukino is still Sailormoon but the events in Season five have been changed to suit this plotline. So, please note the following changes. Usagi Tsukino is Sailor Cosmos. The Sailor Senshi never made it out of the Cauldron of Stars (manga ver) in the battle with Galaxia. Usagi has matured since the battle, and it's been approximately 7 years since then, which makes her 23.

Gravitation: Takes place sometime after episode 13. OAVs aren't really going to affect this. Ryuichi Sakuma is 30 years old.

* * *

The air was absolutely fresh and invigorating. A slight and warm breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. Birds flew in the sky and their melodic chirps resounded all throughout the area of the park in downtown Tokyo. 

Everything was peaceful. Children played and it seemed as if nothing could ruin the serenity of the moment. That is, until a high-pitched scream sounded all through the city of Tokyo.

"KUMA-CHAN DOKO NA NO DA!"

Usagi Tsukino, who had been enjoying the view from her favorite bench across from the lake, looked up wondering what animal could have made such a shriek. Maybe it was an ostrich. She shook her head and went back to admiring the glassy surface of the lake.

Ever since Galaxia and her ascension to Sailor Cosmos, Usagi found herself appreciating nature and little things more than she ever did before. The way the leaves would sound when they moved, the warmth of the sun, the insects that she normally thought were ugly were instead precious to her and the planet.

So, she came to Juuban Park every chance she got and sat on her and Mamoru's bench. Though his memory brought bitter tears to her eyes still, she felt better sitting there and thinking of his smiling face than sitting at home and wishing she could see him once more.

In the few short years following the climatic battle of good and evil, Usagi had felt the changes in her body that indicted her role of Queen of the Stars. She also felt the power of her Senshi living inside her. The warm glow of their Star Seeds giving her strength was a constant reminder of their own strength and love for the Earth. It gave her comfort in times when she felt the most lost without them.

The blurry figure of a frantic man whizzed by suddenly in front of Usagi's bench and the blonde gave a startled squeak and she involuntarily leaned back in surprise. She thought she heard the whirlwind of a man shout "GOMEN!" before he completely disappeared from her sight. Usagi raised a delicate eyebrow, never before had she seen a man completely turn into a tornado before. If she wasn't sure that the Sailor Animates were gone, she would be inclined to think it was their work.

"That was random." She muttered to herself when she looked to the direction in which the tornado-man had gone.

She looked to the sun setting across the lake and sighed as she realized it was time to head home. She picked up her book and bent over to grab her purse when a flash of bright pink flashed in front of her. She knitted her brow in confusion and reached under the bench to see what it was. To her utter surprise, she pulled a bright pink stuffed bunny out from under the bench.

"Oh, look at you…" She whispered to the bunny, taking in his smile and black beaded eyes that showed more emotion than a bunny should. She giggled at his bright red bow and held his arms out to look at him closely.

"Your owner must be missing you." Usagi spoke to the bunny again, imagining a five year old boy or girl crying miserably over their lost friend. She took the bunny into her arms and looked all around the park for the sign of a child looking for their stuffed rabbit. When she could see no one looking for him, she looked at the bunny in her arms and decided that she would hold on to him.

* * *

It had only been a week, but to Sakuma Ryuichi, the genius singer in Nittle Grasper, a week had seemed like an eternity to spend without Kumagorou. He felt lost and alone without his best friend. Noriko-chan had tried to console him, but the second she suggested they get him another pink bunny, he threw a furious tantrum. 

How could she even think of replacing Kumagorou?

Even Shindou Shuichi couldn't bring him back to his happy self. The pink-haired singer of Bad Luck had stopped by to make him feel better, but he would never be the same without Kumagorou. Ryuichi knew he was acting like a child, but he missed something very precious and he wanted it back.

But instead of doing absolutely nothing, which is what he really wanted to do, he sat with his instruments and tried banging out a tune, which he would later affectionately call 'Lament for Kumagorou.'

* * *

Nakano Hiroshi, or just Hiro to his friends, rode down the streets of Tokyo on his beloved motorcycle. It was beautiful out, and he was going to enjoy his leisurely ride as soon as he was out of the congested traffic that was downtown Tokyo. Apparently, every one else in the city had the same idea as Hiro. 

He placed his bike into gear and waited in the line of never-ending traffic at the intersection. He let his gaze wander to the crowds of people walking across the street and his eyes narrowed on one person in particular.

A pretty blonde girl, wearing nothing that was predominantly flashy, was the one who caught his attention. In the blue Chinese style bag that was slung over her shoulder, a familiar pink bunny was stuffed inside, his head and arms were visible to the world.

Hiro had known that Shuichi's idol Sakuma Ryuichi had lost his pink bunny, Kumagorou. And Hiro had seen the singer clutching him on more than one occasion to realize that the bunny stuffed in this girl's bag was in fact the MIA Kumagorou, not to mention that Shuichi seemed to be mourning its loss as well, though not as vocally as Ryuichi.

He knew his best friend would be upset that he had seen Kumagorou and not tried to get him back for Ryuichi. Weighing the pros and cons in his head, he made his decision. He released the brake and shifted back into gear, and though he knew it was illegal, and didn't really know what possessed him, Hiro drove his bike up on the sidewalk through the crowds of people and tried chasing the girl through the intersection.

Ignoring the shouts from angry pedestrians, Hiro tried desperately to catch up to the blonde. He could see her blonde pigtails bouncing as she walked, the sway of her hips, and the bag on her back swinging with her, Kumagorou in tow.

He was so close when suddenly he was stopped by two police officers. He growled in frustration. He couldn't believe it.

* * *

Ryuichi had heard the news from Shuichi. Hiroshi Nakano had seen Kumagorou! Ryuichi resisted the urge to cry. Someone had him and probably didn't know he belonged to a very important person! HIMSELF! He groaned, Kuma-chan was in the hands of a serial bunny-collector! 

He crawled to his couch and slouched down into the cushions. Would he ever see Kuma-chan again?

* * *

"Hm, what should we do today, Chibi?" Usagi asked the pink bunny. She smiled affectionately at the stuffed toy and turned back to flipping through her magazine. 

At first, Usagi had carried the bunny with her everyday and spent time at the park, hoping some little boy or girl would come up to her and proclaim, "That's mine!" But not one did. So, she accepted the fact that maybe no one was looking for the precious toy and it had now fallen into her loving hands. Over the few weeks, she had grown attached to the toy and loved seeing its bright pink face smiling at her.

Today, instead of going to the park as usual, Usagi had opted to stay home and flip through some of her new and old magazines. She popped in a CD and sat on her bed listening to the pop and rock rifts of one of her favorite bands, Bad Luck.

She didn't follow the band extensively like Minako would've, learning all the names, favorite colors, and blood types of the band members, but she bought their CDs and listened to them religiously. She also found herself listening to the band that inspired Bad Luck, Nittle Grasper. They were really good too, and Usagi enjoyed listening to their songs when she was feeling down, they always seemed to cheer her up with their energizing rock.

The magazine she had picked up and was now flipping through featured an article about both Nittle Grasper and Bad Luck collaborating on a joint concert. It would be the first time the rival bands would perform together for the one-time event in Tokyo. She went straight for the article and her eyes widened over the picture of both bands posing together with their instruments.

"How about that…" Usagi muttered as she scanned the picture, even bringing it up close to her face to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. She looked back to the pink bunny she found weeks ago and raised an eyebrow. Clutched in the arms of Sakuma Ryuichi, the front man for Nittle Grasper was the stuffed pink bunny she tenderly called 'Chibi'.

* * *

"De-demo, Ryuichi!" Shindou Shuichi cried out, startled at his long-time friend/mentor/rival. "You have to do this concert with us! It's been planned for months." 

The brown-haired man shook his head sadly. "I just want to postpone the concert, Shi'chi." He replied, using his childish nickname for Shuichi. "Not cancel."

Shuichi really couldn't believe it, and didn't want to. He had been looking forward to singing with Ryuichi for as long as he could remember and now his idol wanted to postpone their concert indefinitely. How could he!

In all honesty, Shuichi knew Ryuichi sounded tired and worn-out, they had been practicing non-stop for the concert, even Shuichi was exhausted everyday, but Ryuichi had gotten worse with the disappearance of Kumagorou. He didn't have the same zest lately that he always seemed to exhibit during his concerts. He acted professional enough, but it seemed Kumagorou was more important to Ryuichi than he was disclosing.

Nodding his pink head in defeat, Shuichi tired giving Ryuichi a supportive smile. "Okay, we'll postpone. I'll let Hiro and Fujisaki know. I'm sure Sakano-san will freak out when he finds out."

Ryuichi grinned at the mention of Seguchi Touma's assistant. The man was notorious for getting worked up over little things. "Thanks, Shuichi."

Shuichi left Ryuichi's makeshift lounge and dressing room with slumped shoulders and a defeated frown. How was he supposed to tell Hiro and Fujisaki that weeks of practice and plans were all for nothing? He really didn't want to be there bearer of bad news, since that was something Yuki was better at than he, but it really had to be done.

He walked right into their dressing room and blurted out the news with little introduction. "IT'S BEEN CANCELLED!" Then he proceeded to burst into tears and wail like a three year old who just had their favorite toy taken from them and was forced to watch it be smashed by a steamroller.

It produced the desired effect. Hiro rose to his feet, stunned and confused. Fujisaki stormed from the room, determined to speak with his cousin, Touma about this awful turn of events!

After a little while trying to calm Shuichi down, Hiro decided it was probably best to head home instead of hanging around the amphitheater. He and Shuichi, who was clinging helplessly to Hiro's arm, trudged out the front doors where Hiro had left his motorcycle.

"You don't understand! You just have to let me in!"

At first, Hiro didn't pay much mind to the girl arguing with the security officer. It was probably just another fangirl trying to get in to see her idols. He was ready to jump onto his bike with Shuichi when curiosity got the better of him and he snuck a peek at the girl that was having a heated argument with the officer.

He knew her. The leggy blonde that he saw a week ago on the streets of downtown Tokyo was standing right there, holding the pink bunny Kumagorou against her chest. Her silvery-blonde hair was in the same pigtails as last he had seen her and she was dressed in casual but very attractive clothes; a denim skirt and pink blouse with little black flats on her small feet. Kumagorou was clutched in her arms as she faced off with the security guard.

Hiro poked the depressed Shuichi and hissed, "Look!"

Shuichi lifted his head and glanced at whatever it was Hiro was trying to show him. His mouth opened wide in shock and all that came out was an astonished squeak of "KUMAGOROU!"

Upon hearing the outburst, the girl and the security guard turned towards Hiro and Shuichi. The guard didn't really pay them any mind, but Usagi recognized Nakano Hiroshi and Shindou Shuichi. She walked tentatively up to the two and bowed.

"Watashi no namae wa Tsukino Usagi desu. Hajimemashite." (My name is Usagi Tsukino. Good to meet you.)

"I saw you," Hiro spoke. "I saw you downtown with him." He pointed to the bunny.

Usagi shifted awkwardly in front of the two boys. "I've been carrying him around ever since I found him. I went back to the park where I found him, but no one ever claimed him. It would seem kind of absurd to post 'Found' signs for a bunny… Then I saw a promotional photo in a magazine and saw him with you guys and Nittle Grasper. Could you help me return him?"

"That's very noble of you. Not many people would go that far for a stuffed bunny." Hiro supposed, appreciatively.

Shuichi nodded and agreed with Hiro. "You're a good person to do that, Tsukino-san."

Usagi smiled and held Kumagorou out a little bit. "Well, this bunny is special. He told me so himself." A small giggle passed her lips as she said it, and to Hiro and Shuichi, she might've been kidding, but they weren't entirely sure.

* * *

Ryuichi was almost finished packing up his backpack to go home when there was a knock at his door. He half expected it to be Sakano or Mr. K asking him to reconsider postponing the concert. It wouldn't do any good though, the news would be put through in the morning and the people that bought their advance tickets would be informed so they could be refunded. 

"Hai! Dozo!" (Yes! Come in!)

A mass of brown hair poked its way in to reveal Hiro. He shut the door behind him and looked at Ryuichi expectantly.

"Can I help you with something, Hiro?" He asked, wondering what business the guitarist from Bad Luck could possibly want with him.

The man in question nodded. "Yes, Sakuma-san. I was just leaving for the night when I bumped into someone who very much wanted to meet you. I couldn't tell her 'no' so I hope you don't mind." His explanation didn't leave much room for Ryuichi to protest.

For the most part, Ryuichi enjoyed meeting his fans and taking the time to chat, but with the current dilemma of the concert postponement, his own exhaustion, and his best friend missing, he didn't feel at all up to speaking with anyone.

He sighed in acquiesce, "Sure, Hiro, I have some spare time before I go." He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and lost all sense of the image of child-like innocence that Hiro constantly saw the man hold.

Hiro opened the door and motioned for the person to come through. And for a moment, Ryuichi's breath caught in his throat.

The young woman who stepped through the doorway with her hands behind her back had the longest hair he had ever seen. The color was a beautiful shade of platinum blonde and almost looked silver when it shined. She was slim and petite. Her eyes were what really drew Ryuichi in however. They were crystal clear and the most stunning shade of blue he had ever seen.

He walked up to her and gave a small bow. "Sakuma Ryuichi. Hajimemashite."

"Tsukino Usagi."

Her voice chimed like bells.

"Sakuma-san, thank you very much for seeing me on such short notice," She spoke again. "I believe I have something of yours." And her hands that had been held behind her back now drew forward and revealed Kumagorou, his missing friend.

And just like he had been given the largest lollipop in the world, Ryuichi's eyes grew almost as large as the smile on his face. He extended his arms and gently took Kumagorou from Usagi's grasp. And with a shout of utter happiness, Ryuichi clutched his precious bunny to his chest. "KUMA-CHAN!"

Usagi giggled as she watched the scene and she really felt happy. She gave a slight bow to Hiro and quietly stepped out of the room. She returned the bunny to its owner just like she had wanted. But for some strange and unexplainable reason, she felt just a little bit sad.

"Tsukino-san!"

Usagi was practically out of the front doors of the stadium when she turned at the shout of her name. Shindou Shuichi, the singer of one of her favorite bands flagged her down as he came running from the upstairs, waving something in his hand.

"I was afraid I wouldn't catch you!" He cried out, breathing hard from sprinting.

"I'm sorry, Shindou-san." She smiled apologetically. "It's just that, Sakuma-san seemed so happy with Kumagorou that I thought my work was done."

Shuichi waved her off. "It was nothing! Anyways, here," He shoved two pieces of paper in her hands. "Ryuichi has decided not to postpone the concert after all. So, I wanted to give you these tickets. Please come!"

Usagi looked at the tickets in her palm. She hadn't let herself enjoy much of anything since the battle with Chaos. It didn't seem right at first for her to enjoy life when her beloved friends and Senshi lost theirs so young. But, perhaps she could let herself enjoy something, just this once.

"Thank you, Shindou-san."

"Please, call me Shuichi!" He laughed. "I'm not that old!"

She grinned. Shindou Shuichi reminded her a little bit of herself. "Then please call me Usagi!"

* * *

Getting ready for the concert again had been slightly less stressful for Ryuichi, but no less busy than it had been. But now that he had one less thing to worry about, he felt so much better. His focus was back and he didn't feel so unhappy. 

He held Kumagorou up and examined him for the hundredth time since he was returned to him. That Tsukino Usagi had really taken care of Kumagorou while he was with her. Not a smudge, tear or sign of manhandling. Kuma-chan even smelled really good when he got him back. Ryuichi assumed it was what Usagi smelled like, fresh flowers.

Ryuichi laughed a little bit to himself. It was ironic that her name was Usagi, the rabbit, and she found his rabbit. The world was full of strange coincidences.

Ryuichi stared hard at Kumagorou before scrunching his eyebrows. "Do you really, Kuma-chan? Do you really miss her?" He sighed while lowering Kuma-chan back into his arms. "She _was really_ pretty."

Shuichi had told him he gave her tickets to their concert. Ryuichi might never say it out loud to anyone, but he was really hoping Usagi would come to their concert; he really wanted to see her kind face again.

* * *

Usagi walked into the stadium with her brother Shingo. She had asked her now twenty-year old brother to go with her and use the second ticket that Shindou-san had given her. When she told Shingo about finding Kumagorou and returning him, meeting Shindou Shuichi and Nakano Hiroshi, he laughed and replied, "Only you, Odango-atama!" 

After the battle with Chaos when Usagi was 16, she was severely depressed over what had happened. Shingo had been there for her and their bond as brother and sister grew evermore stronger from that point on. Being that he already idolized Sailormoon, finding out that his sister was in fact his idol was a complete shock for him at age 13, but he quickly recovered from his surprise and became a pillar for his sister.

Shingo was only too happy to also see his favorite band, Nittle Grasper perform. He was severely jealous that his sister got to meet his idol, Ryuichi Sakuma, but he was also excited to be able to see him play close-up. He paid for drinks for Usagi and himself and they made their way to their seats, which were in the front row, reserved for special guests of the band.

Usagi took her seat, next to a well-dressed blonde man. He glanced at her briefly before turning his attention elsewhere. Usagi wanted to ask if she knew him from somewhere, but he seemed intent on avoiding conversation with her, so she let his aloof behavior slide.

The lights in the stadium dimmed and spotlights now shined on the stage, which she had a perfect view of. Shindou Shuichi, Hiroshi Nakano, and Suguru Fujisaki ran out onto the stage in their outfits and to their places. Shuichi gave Usagi and the blonde man a wave before the sounds of the keyboard and guitar started, signaling the beginning of their song.

_"'Ikanaide!' Sakendemo ano sora e tobu yasei no tori. Never say Goodbye Shinayaka na sono tsubasa yuuki ni akaku somete!" _1

* * *

After Bad Luck's set had finished, Shuichi said a few words about his band, their collaboration with Nittle Grasper and how influential they were. With an excited shout, he introduced Ryuichi Sakuma, Seguchi Touma and Ukai Noriko with as much enthusiasm as his own performance.

Usagi could feel her brother Shingo bouncing in his seat as he stared transfixed on the stage and the now approaching figures of his favorite band, Nittle Grasper. Their sound pulsated and thundered through the stadium, hitting everyone deep in their hearts and souls.

Usagi thought she might faint feeling everything Ryuichi put into his music as he sang. But she kept her eyes on stage through their whole set, because Sakuma Ryuichi never took his eyes off her as he sang. His stormy cobalt eyes never left her, and Usagi would never forget the haunting feeling she felt that night.

* * *

The last song had ended and closed the show. A duet between the two bands was a fitting way to end the night and it left the audience with an indescribable feeling as they filtered out of the stadium. 

"That was so cool, Onee-chan! I can't believe I got to see both Bad Luck and Nittle Grasper!" Shingo leaned over and hugged Usagi tight. "Thanks for the ticket, Odango!"

She smiled. It was hard to picture the days when they would bicker and fight constantly. "It's no problem, Shingo. Shuichi gave me the tickets; did you think I wouldn't give you the chance to see your favorite band?"

"You're the one, Shuichi met then?"

A deep voice from behind Usagi asked and she turned curiously and saw the blonde man who had remained stoic throughout the entire concert. She had wondered if his face was made of stone, the words and feelings of the artists didn't really seem to reach him as it did everyone else.

"Shindou Shuichi… Yes, I met him, under slightly unexpected circumstances." She replied, a bit wary of the gentleman.

She was about to ask who he was when a shrill wail that reminded her of herself when she was younger pierced her eardrums.

"YUUUUKIIII!"

Pink-haired Shindou Shuichi ran from behind the stage and tackled the blonde man. The moody and stoic male took it all in stride, much to Usagi's surprise. She would've thought that with such a strong personality, the man wouldn't take such coddling lightly.

"Damn brat, gettoff!"

Usagi laughed nervously from the sidelines.

"Did you enjoy the concert, Yuki! Ne, Yuki! Yuki! Weren't we cool! Yuki!" Shuichi nagged and clung to Yuki like a lost puppy.

Yuki, though outwardly he looked extremely annoyed, Usagi could tell he would tolerate this behavior only from the pink-haired singer. She assumed they were involved, the signs were too evident.

"Usagi!" Shuichi turned his attention to the other blonde. "How did you like the concert! Have you ever seen us or heard us before!"

The former champion of love and justice smiled. "I loved the concert, Shuichi. Thank you very much for the tickets." She pulled Shingo next to her, "This is my younger brother, Shingo. He and I are both fans of Bad Luck and Nittle Grasper."

Shingo turned only slightly pink as the focus was brought to him. "I love you guys! The concert was the best ever! I never thought I'd get to see Nittle Grasper play with Bad Luck!"

Usagi and Shingo talked excitedly with Shuichi and Yuki Eiri after the concert. They were the only ones left in the stadium when Fujisaki and Hiro came out from the back. Usagi really wanted to stay and talk with the bands. There was just this pull to them, and she couldn't understand why music made her feel so many things at once.

She also really wanted to talk to Sakuma Ryuichi. She hoped she wasn't acting like a mindless fan, but she just really wanted to talk to him and see him up close again. She couldn't explain the pull in her chest and she knew seeing him might make it better.

When it seemed that Ryuichi wasn't coming out just like the other band members, Noriko and Touma had come last, she heaved a silent breath of disappointment. She waited long enough; Ryuichi was probably tired from his concert. It was getting late, and just as Usagi was about to tell Shingo they needed to head home when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

Her azure eyes widened and turned around quickly to see the object of her thoughts. Blue-eyed, brown-haired Sakuma Ryuichi of Nittle Grasper stood not but two feet in front of Usagi. He had changed out of his concert outfit and was looking quite comfortable in jeans, red t-shirt and denim jacket.

He lifted his hand and waved. "Usagi-san,"

She bowed respectfully and smiled. "Ryuichi-san,"

He suddenly laughed and placed his hand behind his back. "Did you enjoy the concert?"

"Yeah, it was amazing. My brother and I have been fans of yours and Shuichi's for a while now." She spoke softly next to him and vaguely in the back of her mind she noticed that they had inched closer to each other and further away from the rest of the group. "The seats were really great. Thank you for the tickets."

Ryuichi gained a look in his eyes that his fellow band mates had seen often and Shuichi only a few times. When he was joking, his eyes were wide and sparkling like a child's, but when he was serious and determined, so were his eyes. They were a piercing determined blue as they gazed on Usagi's petite form.

"I wanted to say 'Thank you' properly, this time, Usagi-san. Thank you for returning Kumagorou, he's very special to me." He gently picked up Usagi's slender hand in his own. "And, schedule permitting… I'd like to take you out for coffee or dinner."

The only way to describe Usagi's expression was utter astonishment. Ryuichi was asking to take her out!

"Anno…" She started while blushing furiously.

"Onee-chan!"

Usagi took her hand suddenly from Ryuichi's at the sound of her brother's yell. She turned to him expectantly.

"You might not have anywhere to be tomorrow, but I happen to have class early in the morning." He stated matter-of-factly. Then as if thinking about what he just said, he amended, "Not that I don't want to hang out with my favorite bands but I have to get home."

Usagi nodded and stepped away from Ryuichi, even though she felt that she really wanted to stay. "Gomen, Shingo, I forgot this is a school night for you." She looked back to Ryuichi and smiled a disappointed kind of smile. "The tickets tonight were thanks enough, Ryuichi-san. You don't have to take time away from your schedule."

"It's not like that--"

But she and Shingo left the stadium before anyone could say anything else to them. Ryuichi stared at the doors which she rushed through, looking thoroughly confused. He felt Shuichi come over and stand next to him.

"If you don't go, you might regret it, Ryuichi."

Ryuichi glanced at his friend and rival. His eyes glistened and he smirked. "Right."

* * *

Usagi leaned her head on the glass of the window in Shingo's car. Why did she have to be such an idiot? 

"Baka… baka baka Usagi…" She hissed to herself. Why was she running?

True, Mamoru was always in her heart, and that would never change. But, was she afraid of betraying their love? Or was she simply thinking of the future and what her new role was? Sailor Cosmos certainly did mean more responsibility than just Sailor Moon.

"What are you thinking about, Usagi?" Shingo asked her when he could no longer stand the silence.

She stared out the window, watching the lights go by, they blurred into one another and streaked across her vision. "I was thinking… I'm twenty-three. If the future hadn't changed, then I would've become Neo Queen Serenity this year." She raised her fingers to the glass and let them run across the smooth surface as she spoke. "Sailor Pluto told us when we were 15 that I would ascend the throne at 23 and save the earth from a terrible evil. The Great Freeze…

"But here I am. The senshi are gone, Mamoru is gone… And I'm facing a future that I'm not even sure has a good ending. Do the bad people win after all?" She wiped the tears that had begun to form on her lashes. The mascara ran slightly on her cheeks. "Tell me Shingo, what am I supposed to do?"

Her little brother, who had grown to surpass her in height, frowned. "Usagi, I think you missed something very important." He slowed his car down and parked on the side of the street. Shingo then took his older sister's hand in his own. "Nobody has a future set in stone. And it's not much of a life if you know what's going to happen before it does." He smirked suddenly. "I have no idea what's going to happen to me tomorrow. But, I'll look forward to it, because that's life.

"You're a normal girl, right Usagi? You can make your future for yourself. You don't have to rely on the past or what someone said was supposed to come to pass. You're Tsukino Usagi! I'm Tsukino Shingo! I'm going to Tokyo University to make a future for myself. And you Onee-chan, you're a teacher at a preschool. Did Sailor Pluto tell you that you were going to take care of children?"

"No, but…"

"Then doesn't that prove it!" He laughed at her confused look and quickly hugged her. "This is your chance to make your future, don't waste it Odango-atama!"

Usagi nodded, unable to speak. She was desperately trying to swallow the sob that threatened to emerge from her throat. She clung to her brother, who had grown so mature in a few short years. How could the little annoying brat become so smart?

"C'mon, let's get some air and something to drink. I think we passed a convenience store before we stopped." He opened his door and stepped out. Usagi quickly followed suit and opened her door and stepped out into the cool night air. It was still summer, not quite fall yet, so the air was just right; warm enough to not have a jacket, but cool so that the breeze felt refreshing on her cheeks.

They had only been walking down the sidewalk a few moments to the store when a figure stepped boldly in front of the two. Usagi stepped back wary, but Shingo looked harder at the figure and quickly blurted out, "Sakuma Ryuichi-san!"

"Yo." He waved his hand at the two and smirked.

"Ryuichi-san!" Usagi gasped overwhelmed. "How did you get here?"

He pointed behind him and gestured to Hiro standing next to his motorcycle. "We followed you after you left. It was easy since you weren't going very fast, so we were able to follow you." He stepped closer to Usagi. "I didn't get to finish talking to you."

Usagi noticed that Shingo had left her side and was now chatting with Hiro. Silently she cursed her brother for leaving her side, but was also grateful that he was so intuitive.

Ryuichi brought his hand gently up to her face and wiped away the last traces of her tears. "You were crying, Usagi-san… I'm sorry that you're sad."

She covered his hand with her own and shook her head. "No, it's okay, Ryuichi-san. I'm alright now." She smiled at him and her baby blue eyes shined. "I'm alright now."

The brown-haired idol smiled down at her. "That's good." His dark blue eyes gazed intently at her. "Would you like to get coffee or lunch with me sometime?"

Usagi smiled her first real smile since her battle with Chaos. "I would love to."

* * *

According to Sailor Pluto, Tsukino Usagi was to become Neo Queen Serenity on her 23rd birthday, ascend the throne and save the people of earth from a terrible fate. Subsequently, Neo Queen Serenity would be loved by her people and rule them peacefully for one thousand years. 

But at age 25, Tsukino Usagi was far removed from any indication of that life. She sat curled on a huge cushy couch next to her idol turned boyfriend turned fiancé, clutching a soft pink bunny. He held a guitar and strummed it while humming to himself and the young woman at his side.

She lifted the book that she was reading up for Ryuichi to see. "Ryu-chan, it says here that newborn babies spend most of their day sleeping and getting as much rest as possible because the brain is still growing even after they're born."

He glanced at the book briefly before turning to her and placing a kiss on her head. "I believe it, Usa-chan. Don't worry so much, you'll be a wonderful mother." He chuckled and pulled her close to him. "Then Kumagorou will have a little brother or sister."

Usagi laughed. "Is that the only reason we're having a baby?"

"No, it's because I love you." He said with his dark blue eyes shining with adoration.

Usagi lifted her head and placed her lips on his. "I love you too."

* * *

Yay for me and my sappy love fics. I love romance. Haha. I hope you enjoyed it too though. Please review. 

1 The first lines of Bird preformed by Tomokazu Seki as Shuichi Shindou. This song is on Sound Story III.

Lyric and Translation:

"Ikanaide!" Sakendemo ano sora e tobu yasei no tori.

Never say Goodbye shinayaka na sono tsubasa yuuki ni akaku somete!"

Even when I shout "Don't go!" the wild bird flies to the sky.

(Never say Goodbye) as those supple wings are redly dyed with courage!

Lyrics and translation borrowed from the good, hardworking people at Animelyrics . com


End file.
